With summer just getting started, no doubt your AC’s are going to be working to full capacity, that’s why every June 22 we Celebrate National HVAC Tech Day to honor our very hard-working repairmen and women keeping us cool in the blazing heat. Summer is brutal for a lot of people across the globe, and the need for a properly functioning AC unit is crucial, especially for those closer to the equator. Oftentimes we take advantage of that luxury and it’s important to think back to before air conditioning was a standard in every household on the block and consider the importance and value of your local HVAC Tech. Plus, don’t forget When an HVAC professional helps you select and maintain efficient heating and cooling systems, they’re also helping you reduce your carbon footprint.
History of National HVAC Tech Day
Founded in 2016, by ARS/Rescue Rooter, a national provider of home services, National HVAC Tech Day is to show appreciation for all HVAC technicians in the industry. In honoring them we choose to explore the history behind the development of the air conditioning.
Romans are largely credited with having the first central heating system that channeled hot air from a furnace through pipes inside walls and beneath floors. Early Korea also had a similar system, using excess heat from cooking stoves to heat the air. Additionally, early Muslim architects are known to have constructed pipes under floors to keep the entire building warm.
When it comes to cooling, Ancient Egyptians hung cold towels in the windows so that the air would come in contact with the towels and cool off inside residents. In 200 CE, China invented fans near water fountains that blew cold air through the room. And during the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin brought advancements when experimenting with chemical evaporation by discovering how to freeze surfaces.
Just after the turn of the century, Albert Marsh discovered Chromel; an alloy made of Chromium and Nickel. This new alloy heralded the coming of electrical heating elements in the market and was also 300 times stronger than other similar materials at the time. For his contributions, Albert Marsh is widely regarded as “the father of the electrical heating industry.” Finally, in 1902 Willis Carrier invented the first modern air conditioning unit by reversing the process a heater uses.